Beverage cruet

ABSTRACT

A cruet is formed of a receptacle and an outer supporting sleeve. The receptacle tapers downwardly and inwardly so as to be of smallest diameter at its lower end. The sleeve tapers inwardly and upwardly to engage the receptacle at its upper extremity. The spacing between the receptacle and sleeve is such as to accomodate the upper end of an identical cruet so that the cruets may be nested together through the greatest portion of their height.

United States Patent [191 Eckdahl [451 Apr. 16, 1974 BEVERAGE CRUET [75'] Inventor: Thomas H. Eckdahl, Minneapolis,

Minn.

{73] Assignee: Plastics, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.

[22] Filed: June 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 155,025

[52] U.S. Cl. 215/13 R, 220/9 R, 220/69, 220/97 C [51] Int. Cl. A47j 41/00 [58] Field of Search 215/12 R, l3 R, 10, 99.5,

215/1 R, l L; 220/69, 9 R, 17, 23, 6, 23.83, 97 C; 206/65 K; 229/15 H; 222/131, 183

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,493,633 l/1950 Mart 220/97 C 3,355,046 11/1967 Jolly 215/13 R 3,355,045 11/1967 Douglas 215/13 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIQNS 36,090 3/1967 Finland 220/9 R Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus [5 7] ABSTRACT A cruet is formed of a receptacle and an outer supporting sleeve. The receptacle tapers downwardly and inwardly so as to be of smallest diameter at its lower end. The sleeve tapers inwardly and upwardly to engage the receptacle at its upper extremity. The spacing between the receptacle and sleeve is such as to ac comodate the upper end of an identical cruet so that the cruets may be nested together through the greatest portion of their height.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MTENTED W INVENTOR fCKDAHL TTORNEY BEVERAGE CRUET This invention relates to an improvement in Beverage Cruet and deals particularly with a plastic container capable of containing liquids and condiments, and which may be made inexpensively enough so that it can be disposed of after use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of double walled receptacles have been produced which include an inner receptacle, an outer enclosure, and an air space therebetween. Such receptacles are used for vacuum bottles, coffee cups or for a wide variety of other purposes. In general, containers of this type have the extreme disadvantage of requiring considerable storage space. Items which are dispensible must normally require a very small-space prior to their use because of the volumn of such items which must be maintained.

As a more specific example, let us consider that the cruet is designed to contain a liquid and that each of five hundred customersin a day or five hundred patients in an institution in aday receive one such receptacle each day. Quite obviously, the storage space which would be required to contain receptacles of the type in'question for use each week would be tremendous. Accordingly, it is necessary that in order to be practical, the receptacles must nest together in such a manner that they may be easily separated one from another and filled for use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a structure of the type described, it is always often desirable that the receptacle be provided with an upper lip structure which simplifies the task of pouring liquid from a receptacle without dripping. This is accomplished by providing an out-turned upwardly and outwardly curved upper lip on the receptacle from which liquid may be readily poured.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a receptacle of the type described in which the body is preferably made of two parts, oneof which comprises an innergenerally frusto-conical receptacle and includes downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls and a connecting bottom wall. The outer member comprises an oppositely tapered inverted generally frusto'conical sleeve which is of larger diameter at its lower end than at its upper end, providing a space between the sleeve and the inner receptacle which is of tapered cross-section. As a result, the lip portion of one receptacle may be inserted into the space between the receptacle and sleeve of a similar receptacle. permitting the receptacles to nest throughout the major portion of their height.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the outer sleeve is provided near its upper end with a shoulder which is approximately similar in inner diameter to the exterior diameter of the lip at the upper end of a similar receptacle. When two similar receptacles are telescoped together, the lip at the upper extremity of the lower receptacle will engage against the shoulder on the outer sleeve of the upper receptacle preventingv the two receptacles from wedging together while at the same time permitting the receptacles to nest together throughout the major portion of their height.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an inwardly extending offset at the lower end of the lip portion of the inner receptacle against which the upper end of the enclosing sleeve may engage. As a result, the upper end of the sleeve may wedge against the offset at the lower end of the receptacle lip, forming a rounded reduced diameter neck adjoining the upper end of the structure by means of which the cruet may be readily grasped and handled.

An added feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the cruet may be shipped with theparts separate and with the outer sleeves in telescoping relation and the inner receptacles in telescoping relation. When the cruet is to be used, the inner receptacle is merely wedged into the outer sleeve to form the assembly. When shipped in this manner, a minimum of space is required due to the fact that the sleeves telescope almost completely into one another, as do also the inner receptacle portion.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled cruet in readiness for use.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the same. FIG. 4 is a sectional view indicating a pair of similar cruets packed one upon another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cruets are designed for a multiplicity of purposes, but are designed so that liquids of various viscosity may be poured therefrom with a minimum of dripping down the sides of the body. In general the cruets are indicated by the letter A, and include an inner receptacle 10 and an outer supporting sleeve 11. In use the two parts are secured together either by friction or by use of a suitable sealing means.

The inner receptacle '10 includes an upwardly and outwardly inclined frusto-conical wall 12 which is closed at its lower end with a bottom wall 13 having a convex upper surface, and a concave under surface. Near the upper end of the cruet, the tapered wall 12 is outwardly offset as indicated at 14, the extent of the offset being substantially equal to the thickness of the plastic used in forming the cruet. The offset 14 provides an external shoulder 15. Above the offset 14, the receptacle continues as a tapered wall 16 which terminates in an outwardly curved lip 17 which forms the top of the receptacle.

The outer sleeve 11 also comprises a frusto-conical wall portion 19 throughout the major portion of its height. The upper end of the wall 19 curves upwardly and inwardly as indicated at 20 to terminate in an abutment 21 which is designed to engage against the shoulder 15 of the offset 14. Preferably, the proportions are such that the abutment 21 fits snugly about the upper end of the tapered wall 12 and against the abutment so that the two parts of the cruet are frictionally engaged together. Suitable adhesive or solvent means may be provided for securing the two parts together, or the two parts may fit snugly enough to fit together without separation. The outer surface of the inwardly curved portion 20 of the sleeve forms a continuation of the outer surface of the receptacle portion so as to form a curved neck providing a convenient area for handling or manipulating the cruet. The bottom of the receptacle 13 is substantially coplaner with the lower edge 22 of the sleeve 11, so that the inner receptacle is firmly supported.

This arrangement serves a multiplicity of purposes. In the first place, the outer sleeve 11 is in spaced relation to the receptacle l0, and in the event the cruet contains liquid or other material which is extremely hot or extremely cold, the outer sleeve may be used to handle the inner receptacle without direct contact of the fingers with the inner receptacle. The outwardly turned tip portion 17 is so designed that liquid may be poured therefrom with a minimum of dripping. At the same time, the cruets may be stacked one within the other as indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawings. In this event, the upper edge of the lip 17 of the lower cruet engages against the juncture or shoulder 23 between the inwardly and upwardly tapered wall 19 and the inwardly curved sleeve portion 20. The spacing is such that the cruets will not frictionally engage one another when in superimposed relation so that the cruets may be readily separated for use.

In accordance with the Patent Office Statutes, [have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in BEVERAGE CRUETS, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

I. A cruet including:

an inner receptacle of inverted generally frustoconical wall shape having a closed bottom,

a peripheral outwardly extending offset near its upper extremity, said offset providing an exterior downwardly facing shoulder of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of said inner receptacle,

said inner frusto-conical wall having an upper and outwardly tapering wall portion above said offset terminating in an outwardly curved lip which forms the top of the inner receptacle,

said inner receptacle being formed of plastic which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout,

an outer sleeve comprising a frusto-conical wall portion throughout the major portion of its height,

an inwardly and upwardly curved portion at the upper end of said outer sleeve snugly encircling the portion of said inner receptacle below said offset with the upper edge of said outer sleeve engaging said shoulder,

the thickness of said sleeve being substantially uniform and substantially equal to the thickness of said the inner receptacle,

whereby a neck portion is provided is provided between said lipson said inner container and said inwardly and upwardly curved portion of said outer sleeve,

the outer periphery of the curved lip being substantially equal to the inner diameter of the sleeve at its juncture with said inwardly and upwardly curved portion at the upper end of said frusto-conical wall portion, to permit nesting of one cruet into the other to prevent wedging together of stacked cruets.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which the closed bottom of saidinner receptacle is extended substan- 

1. A cruet including: an inner receptacle of inverted generally frusto-conical wall shape having a closed bottom, a peripheral outwardly extending offset near its upper extremity, said offset providing an exterior downwardly facing shoulder of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of said inner receptacle, said inner frusto-conical wall having an upper and outwardly tapering wall portion above said offset terminating in an outwardly curved lip which forms the top of the inner receptacle, said inner receptacle being formed of plastic which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout, an outer sleeve comprising a frusto-conical wall portion throughout the major portion of its height, an inwardly and upwardly curved portion at the upper end of said outer sleeve snugly encircling the portion of said inner receptacle below said offset with the upper edge of said outer sleeve engaging said shoulder, the thickness of said sleeve being substantially uniform and substantially equal to the thickness of said the inner receptacle, whereby a neck portion is provided is provided between said lips on said inner container and said inwardly and upwardly curved portion of said outer sleeve, the outer periphery of the curved lip being substantially equal to the inner diameter of the sleeve at its juncture with said inwardly and upwardly curved portion at the upper end of said frusto-conical wall portion, to permit nesting of one cruet into the other to prevent wedging together of stacked cruets.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which the closed bottom of said inner receptacle is extended substantially to the plane of the lower edge of said sleeve. 